SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. — It took 20 innings to do it, but the Social Circle Redskins swept the visiting Jeff Davis Yellow Jackets in a doubleheader last Thursday to advance to the quarterfinal round of the Class A-Division I state playoffs.
In game one, the Redskins outlasted the Jackets 3-2 in 11 innings. Game two provided more free baseball as well, stretching to nine innings before the Redskins erupted for three runs in the top of the final frame to win 6-3.
For fans in attendance, the series had everything — a pitching duel, clutch hits, diving catches, some small-ball strategy and wild momentum swings.
In the opening contest, the Yellow Jackets went up by one in the top half of the first, only to be met with two Redskin runs in the bottom of the frame.
Cooper Davis sparked the Redskins at the plate. He doubled to drive in Ian Miller, who had singled to left center, and Garrett Brooks, who had reached earlier on an error.
After the first, both pitchers settled in and held each other's squads scoreless until the Jackets tied the game up in the seventh inning.
The Redskins threw their ace, Jake Frachiseur, who pitched 6.2 innings. He scattered seven hits and gave up two runs in total.
Frachiseur was able to, with some timely defensive plays, pitch himself out of two bases-loaded situations to keep the Redskins in front going into the seventh.
In the top half of the inning, the Jackets moved into scoring position with a lead-off double. The Jackets' base runner was moved to third on a perfectly executed sacrifice bunt. That was followed up by a long sacrifice fly to center field, which drove in the runner from third and knotted the game at 2-2.
At that point, Redskins head coach Chris Davis called upon Brayden Allen to relieve Frachiseur and finish the contest. Allen eventually secured the win.
Social Circle faithful had to wait until the bottom of the 11th to celebrate, but they did as soon as the walk-off run was scored.
Allen led off the inning with an infield single, and Miller drew a walk. Allen was thrown out on a force play going to third on a fielder’s choice that put Brooks on first and Miller on second with one out.
Once again, the Redskins looked to Davis to provide an offensive spark, and he did not disappoint.
On a 2-1 count, Davis smacked a single to deep, left-center field which drove in Miller to win the game. Davis ended up accounting for all three of the team's RBIs in the first contest.
Game two saw more of the same.
The Redskins got on the board in the top of the second inning when Frachiseur, who led off the inning with a single to right, was driven in by Jake Blankenship.
The Jackets posted two runs in the bottom of the second to take their first lead of the series.
That lead did not last long as the Redskins posted two more runs in the top of the third. Miller led off the inning with a single in between the shortstop and third baseman.
Brooks pushed Miller across the plate with a double to left before Frachiseur then drove in Brooks with an RBI single to put the Redskins up 3-2 going into the bottom of the third.
The 2025 Final Four-qualifying Yellow Jackets did not give up though, quickly tying the game 3-3.
Brooks gave way to Barrett Bramlett after pitching 2.1 innings and giving up three runs to the Jackets. Bramlett finished the game out only giving up two hits and striking out five in six innings of work and notching the win.
The Redskins put the game out of reach in the top of the ninth, scoring three runs to go up 6-3. Allen got the rally going with a lead-off single to left center. After the bases were loaded, the stage was set for Cooper Davis.
Davis met the moment, as he drove the ball to right center and to score both Allen and Miller, giving him five RBIs for the series. Zach Smallwood would then drive in Brooks to make the score 6-3.
The Jackets were unable to claw their way back in the bottom of the ninth and the Redskins moved on.
Social Circle began its Elite Eight series with Worth County on Tuesday, May 5.
